Explosive-engine.



No. 735,627. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

W. WALKE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1003. 1

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/ TNESSES:

INVENTOH I A rromvs rs.

No. 735,627. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. W. WALKE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1903.

.NO MODEL. 2 SHEET9r-SHEBT 2.

WITNESSES: I m/ VENTOH uonms PtTEits co. PNOTGLITNO. WAS..fNGTnN D c.

I UNITED STATES Yatented August 4, 1908,

WVILLIAM WA-LKE, OF J OPLIN, MISSOURI.

EXPLOSIV E-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of iletters Patent No. 735,627,-dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed February 26,1903: Serial No- 145.151. (No model.) I g To all whom it may concern:

- Beit known that LWILLIAM WALKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Joplin, in the county of Jasperand State of 5 Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Explosive-Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7 My invention relates to improvements in explosive-engines f the two-cycle class, the

to same being adapted for service in either a horizontal position or a vertical position.

In my present invention the engine has its parts arranged for operation in a manner to minimize the vibration of the structure, thus Iespeeially adapting it for service on motordriven vehicles. The explosive mixture or charge is admitted initially into a compression-cylinder which communicates intermittently and under certain conditions with a compression-chamber that has direct or uninterrupted communication with an explosivecylinder, the latter containing an igniter of a suitable pattern and also accommodating one of the enginepistons. In the first-named or compression cylinder operates another piston,which is equipped with a valve operable to control the passage of the explosive charge from the compression-cylinder into the compression-chamber, said valve opening when the compression-piston makes-its forward stroke, so as to admit the charge to the compression-chamber, and closing on the back stroke of said compression-piston in order that the charge thus admitted to the compression-chamber may be compressed by the oppositely-movable pistons in the compression and explosive cylinders, whereby the charge may be exploded subsequently to its compression and the pistons may beforced in opposite directions, one of said pistons exhausting the products of combustion resulting from the exploded charge and the other piston compressing a fresh charge of combustible mixture, said valve being held closed by the pressure of the gases resulting from the explosive charge. The herein-described valve is an important element of the improved engine because it is adapted to serve as a regulator in preventing excessive speed, and it may be constructed in such a manner as to determine high or low speed of the engine. It is my practice to construct mestablished normal speed the the valve with a heavy stem and to mount .the valve in the compression-piston in such a way that it is actuated solely by the pressure of the gases inthe com pression-cylinde'r and the compression-chamber.

By making the valve somewhat heavy and by mounting it in the piston the inertia of the valve is increased when the pistons are driven at'a speed exceeding the normal, and under these conditions the valve on the forward stroke of the compression-piston will .fail to open, and thus prevent the explosive charge from passing into the compressionchamber, thereby causing the engine to miss fire and retarding the speed, although under parts resume their automatic operation.

The valve may be of such relatively heavy construction that the engine is compelled to work at a low speed and to never exceed a given number of revolutions of the crankshaft, thus making the engine adaptable for use as a stationary engine; but, on the contrary, the weight of the valve may be decreased, or it may be made lighter in order that the engine may be run at a comparatively'higher speed.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying I drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of an explosive -engine constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation taken through the explosion or firing cylinder.

In suitable bearings 5 on the framework 6 is journaled the engine-shaft 7, the latter being provided with the cranks 8 9, arranged at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees to each other, one end of said shaft being These cylmunication between said compression-chamber and the compression cylinder is controlled by a compression-piston 14 and a controlling-valve '15, which is carried by said piston 14. As is usual in the art, the cylinders 11 12 may be jacketed in order to provide circulation-chambers 16 for a cooling medium; but this is optional.

The explosive or combustible mixture is admitted to the front end of the compressioncylinder through a valve-chest 17, to which is coupled a feed-pipe 18, the latter leading from a carbureter or any other source of supply adapted to contain the explosive mixture. In the valve-chest 17 is arranged a suctionvalve 19, which is held normally to its seat by a spring 20, said "alve adapted to be opened automatically by the suction created in the compression-cylinder when the piston 14 is on its back stroke.

The compression-piston 14 is of the class known as trunk-pistons, and it is provided with a hollow cylindrical body 14", adapted to Work in a tubular guide 21 on the framework of the engine, said cylindrical body of the piston being provided with a pin 22, having the piston-rod 23 connected loosely thereto, said piston-rod being attached to the crank 9 of the engine-shaft. The compression-piston is enlarged at the front portion thereof, so as to form the piston-head 14", which is provided with suitable packings 24, that frictionally engage with the inner surface of the com pression-cylinder. The cylindrical body 14 of'the trunk-shaped compression-piston is provided in rear of the enlarged piston-head l4 with an interior annular flange 25, and said piston body 14 is interiorly screw-threaded between this flange 25 and the enlarged piston-head 14 (See Fig. 1.) Furthermore, the cylindrical body 14 is constructed with a series of exhaustports 26, which are formed at points between the flange 25 and the piston-head 14", said exhaust-ports adapted to have direct communication with the compression-chamber 13 of the engine.

27 designates a valve-ring, which is exteriorly threaded and is screwed into the interiorly-threaded front portion of the cylindrical piston-body, said valve-ring being provided with a conical opening 28, adapted to receive the controlling-valve 15 and forming a seat therefor within the cylindrical pistonhead 14". This valve-ring is thus detachably fastened to the piston 14 to travel therewith, and said valve-ring is provided with a series of slots or openings 29, the latter being in registration with the ports 26 and forming therewith a series of passages through which the combustible mixture or charge is adapted to pass from the compression-cylinder 11 into the compression-chamber 13 when the controlling-valve 15 is opened.

30 designates a tubular guide which is arranged axially within the cylindrical body 14 of the compression-piston, said guide being cast in a single piece with adisk 31, the latter being provided near the front end of the guide and arranged to fit against the internal flange 25 of the cylindrical piston -body, whereby the valve-ring 27 is adapted to be screwed against said head or disk 31 of the guide in a manner to clamp said head or disk firmly between the interior flange 25 and the valve-ring. This construction holds the tubular guide firmly in position within the hollow piston 14, and the valve-ring may be detached for the purpose of permitting access to be obtained to the tubular guide, thus making provision for dismounting the parts.

The tubular guide is closed at its inner end bymeans of a cap 32, andsaidguideis formed with a radial opening 33, the latter serving as a vent for any portion of the explosive 'charge which may enter the tubular guide.

One of the important features of my invention resides in a heavy metallic stem 15,forming an integral part of the controlling-valve 15, said stem being cast in asingle piece with the valve and extending rearwardly therefrom. The stem is arranged to slidably fitin the tubular guide 30, and it is provided with a longitudinal vent-passage 34, one end of said vent-passage opening through the inner end of the valve-stem, while the other end of said passage is bent or disposed at an angle, so as to have communication with the ventport 33 in the tubular guide, whereby any portion of the combustible charge that may accumulate in the tubular guide is free to pass from this vent-passage into the valvering and thence into the compression-chamber. This construction prevents the combustible charge from forming a cushion in the tubular guide and interfering with the free action of the controlling-valve and its stem.

35 designates the piston arranged to operate in the explosive or firing cylinder 12, said piston being provided with a pin 36, to which is connected a piston-rod 37, having its other end attached to the crank 8 of the engineshaft. The piston 35 is arranged to traverse the exhaust-ports 38, which are provided in the explosive-cylinder, so as to communicate with an exhaust-passage 39, said exhaustports 38 being opened only when the piston is at the limit of its back stroke.

An igniter of any suitable construction is provided in the firing-cylinder 12; but, as shown by the drawings, this igniter is of the electrical type, (indicated at 40,) one electrode of said igniter being attached to a head of the explosive-cylinder, while the other electrode is carried by the piston 35 in a position to make contact with the companion electrode when the piston 35 is nearly at the limit of its forward stroke.

The combustible mixture is supplied to the valve-chest through the pipe 18, and on the back stroke of the piston 14 a suction is created in the compressiomcylinder 11, so as to open the valve 19 and admit a charge of proper volume into said compression-cylinder. The

- thereof maybe made to serve the purposes of pistons 14 35 travel in opposite directions simultaneously owing to the arrangement of the cranks 8 9 on the engine-shaft, and the piston 35 is adapted to normally close the exhaust-ports 38, while the piston 14 is arranged to traverse the compression-chamber 13 between the two cylinders 11 12. On the forward stroke of the piston 14 and the back stroke of the piston 35 the charge initially admitted to the compression-cylinder 11 is partly compressed therein, so as to operate the valve 15 and displace it from its seat 28 in the valve-ring 27, whereby the partiallycompressed charge rushes through the port 28 and the ports 29 26, through the valve-ring, and into the compression-chamber 13. As the piston 14 makes its back stroke and the piston 35 moves in a forward direction the charge admitted to the chamber 13'is compressed by the piston 14 and the piston 35, because the pistons move in opposite directions, and the piston-head 14 isadapted to traverse the rear part of the compression-cylinder and the compression-chamber.

The pressure of the com pressed charge against the rear side of the valve 15 holds the latter firmly against the seat 28 in the valve-ring, and when the pistons shall have been moved far enough to assume the positions indicated in Fig. 1 the electrode on the piston 35 makes contact with the electrode of the igniter 40, thereby producing a spark, which ignites the compressed charge of the combustible mixture in the cylinders and the chamber 13. lhe reaction resulting from the combustion of the charge drives the piston 35 in a backward direction, while the piston 14 is impelled in a forward direction, and the motion of the pistons is communicated by the piston-rods to the crank-shaft. 7

On the back stroke of the piston 35 the ports 38 are uncovered, and the gases resulting from the explosion of the combustible mixture are free to psas into the exhaust-passage 39 through said ports 38. At the same time the piston 14 moves forwardly in the cylinder 11 to compress the fresh charge admitted to said cylinder on the previous back stroke of the piston 14 to compress the charge, as hereinbefore described, and on this forward stroke the charge just admitted to the cylinder 11 is compressed by the piston 14, so as to open the valve 15 and permit the partially-compressed charge to pass into the compression-chamber 13 immediately following the exhaust of the exploded charge from the cylinder 12.

The valve 15 and the weighted stem 15 a regulator in preventing excessive speed of the engine. The employment of a heavy stem on the valve operates to make said valve move quickly under the pressure of the charge of combustible mixture in the engine; but the weight of the valve may be predetermined, so as to govern the quick action of said valve 15. In case the engine is to run at a low speed the valve and its stem do not respond so quickly to the action of the piston and the compressed charge when the stem is of excessive weight; but to increase the speed of the piston and the action of the valve the weight of said stem may be decreased, thus allowing the engine to run at higher speed.

The engine is essentially adapted for service on motor-driven vehicles, and the employment of a valve of the class described has been found to be of great utility, because in the event of excessive speed of the engine the valve 15 when the piston 14 makes its forward stroke will move with such velocity and have such inertia that it will fail to open under the pressure of the fresh charge admitted to the cylinder 11, thereby preventing the partiallycompressed charge from passing into the chamber 13 and making the engine miss fire, so 'as to partially retard the speed of the engine, and consequently the progress of the vehicle on which the engine is mounted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An explosive -engine comprising compression and firing cylinders communicating with each other by an intermediate compression-chamber, the latter having uninterrupted communication with the firing-cylinder, an igniter, and a piston in said firing-cylinder, and a compression-piston provided with an automatic valve and operable in the compression cylinder to traverse the compression-chamber, whereby said compression-piston is adapted on its back stroke to compress a charge in the compression-chamber and said valve is opened in one direction by the pressure ofvthe charge in the compressioncylinder and is closed in the other direction by pressure of the charge in said compression-chamber.

2. An explosive-engine comprising a compression-cylinder having an inlet-valve, a firing-cylinder having exhaust-ports, an igniter in the firing-cylinder, a piston operable in the firing-cylinder and traversing the exhaustports therein, a compression-chamber communicating with the firing-cylinder and the compression-cylinder, a compression-piston operable in the compression-cylinder and arranged to compress a charge in the compression-chamber, and a gravity-valve mounted in the compression-piston and arranged to open when the piston moves in one direction and to be closed by the pressure of the charge in the compression-chamber on the back stroke of said compression-piston.

3. An explosive-engine comprising a compression-cylinder having an inlet-valve, a firing-cylinder having exhaust-ports and an igniter, a piston in the firing-cylinder and traversing the exhaust ports, a compressionchamber communicating with said cylinders, a piston traversing th'evcompression-cylinder and the compression-chamber,-and a valve provided with a weighted stem and slidably mounted in the compression-piston.

4. An explosive-engine comprising a compression-cylinder having an inlet-valve, a firing-cylinder havingexhaust-ports and an igniter, a compression-chamberin communication with both cylinders, a piston in the firing cylinder and controlling the exhaustports, a compression-piston provided with a valve-port and with a series of radial ports in communication with the compressionchamber, and a controlling-valve having a weighted stem and slidably mounted in'said compression-piston.

5. An explosive-engine comprising a compression-cylinderhaving an inlet-valve, a firing-cylinder having an igniter and exhaustports, apiston in the firingcylinder and traversing said exhaust-ports, a hollow piston traversing the compression cylinder and chamber and provided with an internal flange and with a series of radial ports, a tubular guide held in said compression-piston, a valvering attached to said compression-piston and provided with a port or valve-seat, and a controlling-valve having a weighted stern slidably mounted in said guide, said valve adapted to occupy the seat of the valve-ring and to close the port therein.

6. An explosive-engine having a compression-cylinder and a coin pression-chamber in alinement with each other, a compressionpiston disposed to traverse both the cylinder and chamber, said piston having a valveport, an automatic valve movable with said piston and operable for the charge in the compression-cylinder to pass into the compression-chamber on one stroke of the piston, said valve being closed on the return stroke of the piston by the pressure of the charge in the compression-chamber, afiring-cylinder receiving the charge from the compression chamber, and a piston and an igniter in said firing-cylinder.

7. An explosive-engine having a compression-cylinder and a compression-chamber in alinement with each other, a compressionpiston traversing said chamber and cylinder, a gravity-valve mounted in the piston for movement therewith and controlling the communication between said cylinder and chamber, a firing-cylinder disposed to receive the charge from the compression-chamber, a piston in the firing-cylinder, and an igniter.

8. An explosive-engine having an alined compression-cylinder and compression-chamber, a firing-cylinder having ports opening into said compression-chamber, a chambered compression-piston traversing the compression-cylinder and the compression-chamber and having a valve-port and other ports adapted for registration with said ports of the firing-cylinder, a valve movable with said piston and adapted to the valve-port therein, a piston in the firing-cylinder, and an igniter.

9. An explosive-engine having an alined com pression-cylinder and compression-chamber, a firing-cylinder with ports comm unicating with said compression-chamber, a compression -piston traversing the compression chamber and cylinder and having a valveport, a valve movable with said piston and adapted to the port therein, a piston in the firing-cylinder, and an igniter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM WALKE.

\Vitnesses:

EULAH FREEMAN, DAVID E. SHADE. 

